Saúde ambiental e condições de balneabilidade em coleção hídrica do médio rio doce (MG)

This study aimed to evaluate the environmental health of five ponds: Prata, Pau, Vermelha, Silvana and Nova, in a region of the middle Doce River in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The composition and distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates was evaluated and related to the presence of biological (coliform group), physical (temperature) and chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, reduction potential) in each aforementioned pond. The samples of macroinvertebrates were collected from December 2007 to January 2009. The identified taxa were analyzed from Shannon-Wiener (H’) diversity index, Pielou’s evenness (e) Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), Family Biotic Index (IBF) and Analysis of Main Components (ACP). Factors like the abundance of Thiaridae and Physidae families, dissolved oxygen, reduction potential, rainfall, presence of macrophytes and water contamination by coliforms were the parameters that most influenced the distribution and composition of macroinvertebrate assembly and the bathing conditions of the ponds studied.